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This book was not my favorite, but there were several things I really enjoyed and I think others might like it even more than I did.

THE PLUSES: Let’s be honest – THAT COVER. I rarely actually purchase books, but I saw this cover and had to get it. Even before I got to reading it I had pulled the book out several times just to look at its cover. Who wouldn’t want this framed in their own home? When I finally started the book – Surprise! – it turns out the picture is actually a chalk drawing that plays an important role in the book.The characters. There is a group of women who are friends who help each other out in any way needed. Each of them were very interesting and I could have read a book about any specific character’s life.The End. I was only going to give 3 stars (which, to be fair, is “I like it”) until the end. And the end had just enough excitement and drama and love to pull my little heartstrings and add another star.

THE MINUSES: All the characters. These women were so interesting, but the book rarely focuses on any one character long enough to get to know them, and there was confusion on my part as to who the story was about. I wouldn’t mind more books about these characters with maybe a more concentrated focus on one character. I mean, Helen??? That woman led a fascinating life and we only saw a bit of it!The Magic. This is a fairly realistic story about lesbian life in San Francisco 80 years or so ago. That should have been enough of a story. But then suddenly magic is thrown in, in sort of a major way, and then it’s just dropped. Like “Oh here’s a serious story, here we go, oh and by the way this woman can do major magic but ANYWAY….”The End. And then of course magic comes along and saves the day…

Now some readers may love that there is magic involved, and if it had figured more into the story as a whole perhaps I would have bought into it as well. But it seemed just sort of tossed in the middle of the story as an unimportant detail, only to be dragged out at the end to save the day. That is what bothered me.

But all in all, should you read it? I say Yes. They are fascinating characters and I hope I can eventually read more about them, and if anything, you need this cover in your life.

This is a light, happy, lesbian romcom, framed by the serious themes of addiction and rehab in a lesbian-only facility.

I fell in love on the first page when we were introduced to Nan, the successful middle-aged lesbian. My favorite couple though was Poppy and Storm, the popstar and war correspondent, respectively.

It does well as a zany lesbian romcom, but I have to admit my imagination couldn’t quite cover some of the very serious situations that were set to comedy and silliness. There were some serious addiction issues in the book, but the recovery was only touched on. There was a seriously dangerous situation that Storm deals with that I really couldn’t wrap my head around as comedy, even though it was obviously supposed to be silly and the antagonists were like cartoon characters. But I can’t put my uncomfortable feelings on the author, I think this is just one of the weaknesses that my very logical, serious brain experiences sometimes when reading books like this.

Overall it was the silly, light, fun little book I had wanted to read. It doesn’t pretend to be anything more, and in these serious times, it is what I needed.

I was given an ARC of this book by the author, who happens to be someone I consider a friend, in exchange for a review. I hate reviewing books when they’re given to me by the author because it’s so difficult to then say anything bad about them. But I’ve read Andi‘s work before, and have yet to be disappointed. And so…

Simply put, I really enjoyed this one, and that’s the honest truth.
It’s not a heavy crime thriller, I’d say it’s more TV show level on the thriller part – but I was happy to go with it as I got to know undercover cop Ellie and the more elusive Marya. This isn’t a mark down, it’s just on the lighter side which is what I needed at the time.

Ellie is working on a case involving Russian mobsters who may have a link in the fashion world. Enter gorgeous Marya, head of a top fashion house and seemingly friends with many of those mobsters. Ellie gets an internship at the fashion house to keep an eye on Marya, and the sparks start to fly. Well, they’re flying all around Ellie, but Marya is the untouchable ice dragon boss lady with possible Russian mob ties. What’s an undercover cop to do?

I kept getting confused with all the Russian bad guys, but that’s because my full attention was on Ellie and Marya. More than once I was shouting “Just kiss her already!” when I should have been following along with the crime plot. But I was fully immersed in the story as we wonder whether Marya is a good gal or a bad gal, and whether that kiss will ever come. It’s not a romance novel, so there’s no mushy “love” involved, and neither is there a dramatic happily ever after, but it ends the way a crime novel should and on a very satisfying note at that.

This is part of the Law Game series by Ylva Publishing, a series by different authors with only the shared theme of “law”, so I don’t know if Andi is planning on writing any future books about Ellie. But I’d be happy to read more of her crime-fighting adventures, and also to find out more about her ex Gwen – after all, there was some sort of future drinks date that we never get to see in this book.

So let’s see: Intricate exciting crime thriller – check! Very likable main characters (male and female) – check! Sparks between two beautiful, strong, successful women – check! One A+++ sex scene – CHECK! And a hope that I might get more Ellie in the future… this is all I need to rate it 5 stars.